Ready Steady Read Together
Pocket Book of Pocket Poems: Poetry Lesson 2
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
Snow before it’s trodden...
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
B) How does the poet show the theme of nature versus humans in Ants at the Picnic?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Follow as I read
Explore
Silences
Cat paws through the garden.
Butterflies in flight.
Morning daisies yawning.
The slowly falling night.
Snow before it’s trodden.
Books before they’re read.
The moon when freshly risen.
A secret left unsaid.
Clouds not ready to rain yet.
Fresh-stretching apple pips.
That moment between tick and tock.
Your finger-hushed lips.
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Ants at the Picnic
Ants at the picnic
walking on the food.
Didn’t ask first –
very, very rude.
Wolves in the wilderness
howling at the moon.
I’m trying to sleep –
it’s a racket, not a tune.
Icy white snow
falling all night.
No school tomorrow –
sounds alright.
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
trodden
that moment between tick and tock
fresh-stretching apple pips
finger-hushed lips
wilderness
racket
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
trodden
Explore
Find Read Talk
Silences
Cat paws through the garden.
Butterflies in flight.
Morning daisies yawning.
The slowly falling night.
Snow before it’s trodden.
Books before they’re read.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
trodden
Your turn
fresh-stretching apple pips
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
that moment between tick and tock
finger-hushed lips
wilderness
racket
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
Silences
Cat paws through the garden.
Butterflies in flight.
Morning daisies yawning.
The slowly falling night.
Snow before it’s trodden.
Books before they’re read.
The moon when freshly risen.
A secret left unsaid.
Clouds not ready to rain yet.
Fresh-stretching apple pips.
That moment between tick and tock.
Your finger-hushed lips.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
Ants at the Picnic
Ants at the picnic
walking on the food.
Didn’t ask first –
very, very rude.
Wolves in the wilderness
howling at the moon.
I’m trying to sleep –
it’s a racket, not a tune.
Icy white snow
falling all night.
No school tomorrow –
sounds alright.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
Ants at the picnic
walking on the food.
Didn’t ask first –
very, very rude.
Wolves in the wilderness
howling at the moon.
I’m trying to sleep –
it’s a racket, not a tune.
Icy white snow
falling all night.
No school tomorrow –
sounds alright.
What did you notice?
Phrasing
Smoothness
Expression
Volume
Pace
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
Ants at the picnic
walking on the food.
Didn’t ask first –
very, very rude.
Wolves in the wilderness
howling at the moon.
I’m trying to sleep –
it’s a racket, not a tune.
Icy white snow
falling all night.
No school tomorrow –
sounds alright.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
Ants at the picnic
walking on the food.
Didn’t ask first –
very, very rude.
Wolves in the wilderness
howling at the moon.
I’m trying to sleep –
it’s a racket, not a tune.
Icy white snow
falling all night.
No school tomorrow –
sounds alright.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Main Point
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
What's the main idea of the text?
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
Cat paws through the garden. Butterflies in flight. Morning daisies yawning. The slowly falling night.
Reveal Explainer
The poet has chosen a cat rather than a louder animal, such as a dog. Cats move quietly, and often unnoticed, which helps to create a calm, gentle moment. This supports themes of silence, calm in nature and small, everyday moments.
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
Teach
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
B) How does the poet show the theme of nature versus humans in Ants at the Picnic?
Pairedreading first
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence - butterflies in flight - morning daisies yawning - snow before it’s trodden - fresh-stretching apple pips
peace and calm in nature
Text Mark Evidence - the slowly falling night - the moon when freshly risen - that moment between tick and tock
time and brief moments
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
Text Mark Evidence - snow before it’s trodden - books before they’re read - the slowly falling night - the moon when freshly risen
small, everyday moments
Text Mark Evidence - books before they’re read - a secret left unsaid - clouds not ready to rain yet
things left undone or unspoken
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence - that moment between tick and tock - your finger-hushed lips
quiet and stillness
Practise & Apply
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence Verse 1 - ants at the picnic walking on the food - didn’t ask first – very, very rude
Nature: ants seek food for survival Humans: annoyed by the ants’ behaviour
B) How does the poet show the theme of nature versus humans in Ants at the Picnic?
Text Mark Evidence Verse 2 - wolves in the wilderness howling at the moon - I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune
Nature: wolves communicating naturally Humans: annoyed and inconvenienced by the sounds
Text Mark Evidence Verse 3 - icy white snow falling all night - no school tomorrow – sounds alright
Nature: weather occurs naturally Humans: only view weather positively when it benefits them
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘wilderness’?
Find Me
Find the word which uses personification to make something sound almost human:
Cat paws through the garden.
Butterflies in flight.
Morning daisies yawning.
The slowly falling night.
Discuss then check
yawning
Tick Me
I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune.What does the word ‘racket’ suggest about the sound?
Tick two:
A) It is noisy and loud.
B) It occurs in nature.
Check
C) It is unpleasant.
Click if correct
D) It is clear and songlike.
Link Me
Link each word with its correct definition:
A) made someone be quiet or stop talking
1) trodden
B) a loud, unpleasant noise or din
2) hushed
C) a natural place where no humans live
Check
3) wilderness
Click if correct
D) walked upon
4) racket
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
think about meaning.
Reveal
Reflect on what the poet is trying to say.
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
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Transcript
Ready Steady Read Together
Pocket Book of Pocket Poems: Poetry Lesson 2
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
Snow before it’s trodden...
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
B) How does the poet show the theme of nature versus humans in Ants at the Picnic?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Follow as I read
Explore
Silences
Cat paws through the garden. Butterflies in flight. Morning daisies yawning. The slowly falling night. Snow before it’s trodden. Books before they’re read. The moon when freshly risen. A secret left unsaid. Clouds not ready to rain yet. Fresh-stretching apple pips. That moment between tick and tock. Your finger-hushed lips.
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Ants at the Picnic
Ants at the picnic walking on the food. Didn’t ask first – very, very rude. Wolves in the wilderness howling at the moon. I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune. Icy white snow falling all night. No school tomorrow – sounds alright.
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
trodden
that moment between tick and tock
fresh-stretching apple pips
finger-hushed lips
wilderness
racket
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
trodden
Explore
Find Read Talk
Silences
Cat paws through the garden. Butterflies in flight. Morning daisies yawning. The slowly falling night. Snow before it’s trodden. Books before they’re read.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
trodden
Your turn
fresh-stretching apple pips
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
that moment between tick and tock
finger-hushed lips
wilderness
racket
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
Silences
Cat paws through the garden. Butterflies in flight. Morning daisies yawning. The slowly falling night. Snow before it’s trodden. Books before they’re read. The moon when freshly risen. A secret left unsaid. Clouds not ready to rain yet. Fresh-stretching apple pips. That moment between tick and tock. Your finger-hushed lips.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
Ants at the Picnic
Ants at the picnic walking on the food. Didn’t ask first – very, very rude. Wolves in the wilderness howling at the moon. I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune. Icy white snow falling all night. No school tomorrow – sounds alright.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
Ants at the picnic walking on the food. Didn’t ask first – very, very rude. Wolves in the wilderness howling at the moon. I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune. Icy white snow falling all night. No school tomorrow – sounds alright.
What did you notice?
Phrasing
Smoothness
Expression
Volume
Pace
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
Ants at the picnic walking on the food.
Didn’t ask first – very, very rude.
Wolves in the wilderness howling at the moon.
I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune.
Icy white snow falling all night.
No school tomorrow – sounds alright.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
Ants at the picnic walking on the food. Didn’t ask first – very, very rude. Wolves in the wilderness howling at the moon. I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune. Icy white snow falling all night. No school tomorrow – sounds alright.
Explore
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Main Point
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
What's the main idea of the text?
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
Cat paws through the garden. Butterflies in flight. Morning daisies yawning. The slowly falling night.
Reveal Explainer
The poet has chosen a cat rather than a louder animal, such as a dog. Cats move quietly, and often unnoticed, which helps to create a calm, gentle moment. This supports themes of silence, calm in nature and small, everyday moments.
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
Teach
From: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
B) How does the poet show the theme of nature versus humans in Ants at the Picnic?
Pairedreading first
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence - butterflies in flight - morning daisies yawning - snow before it’s trodden - fresh-stretching apple pips
peace and calm in nature
Text Mark Evidence - the slowly falling night - the moon when freshly risen - that moment between tick and tock
time and brief moments
A) What themes or main ideas are used in Silences?
Text Mark Evidence - snow before it’s trodden - books before they’re read - the slowly falling night - the moon when freshly risen
small, everyday moments
Text Mark Evidence - books before they’re read - a secret left unsaid - clouds not ready to rain yet
things left undone or unspoken
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence - that moment between tick and tock - your finger-hushed lips
quiet and stillness
Practise & Apply
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence Verse 1 - ants at the picnic walking on the food - didn’t ask first – very, very rude
Nature: ants seek food for survival Humans: annoyed by the ants’ behaviour
B) How does the poet show the theme of nature versus humans in Ants at the Picnic?
Text Mark Evidence Verse 2 - wolves in the wilderness howling at the moon - I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune
Nature: wolves communicating naturally Humans: annoyed and inconvenienced by the sounds
Text Mark Evidence Verse 3 - icy white snow falling all night - no school tomorrow – sounds alright
Nature: weather occurs naturally Humans: only view weather positively when it benefits them
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘wilderness’?
Find Me
Find the word which uses personification to make something sound almost human:
Cat paws through the garden. Butterflies in flight. Morning daisies yawning. The slowly falling night.
Discuss then check
yawning
Tick Me
I’m trying to sleep – it’s a racket, not a tune.What does the word ‘racket’ suggest about the sound?
Tick two:
A) It is noisy and loud.
B) It occurs in nature.
Check
C) It is unpleasant.
Click if correct
D) It is clear and songlike.
Link Me
Link each word with its correct definition:
A) made someone be quiet or stop talking
1) trodden
B) a loud, unpleasant noise or din
2) hushed
C) a natural place where no humans live
Check
3) wilderness
Click if correct
D) walked upon
4) racket
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
think about meaning.
Reveal
Reflect on what the poet is trying to say.
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Pocket Book of Pocket Poems by A. F. Harrold © 2025 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.